I found a razor with the patent date of Jan 13th, 1920 on the handle. It is a "large" ball end type handle, gold plated. Since I had not seen that on the handle before, I did some looking online. I found a pretty nifty blurb from a "National Association of Retail Druggists" of the time. It is a bit long, but I found it interesting. I still don't understand why the patent date is on the handle, which as far as I can tell was already in use. I found that the "Big Fellow" also lists the patent date on the handle (I don't have one, but saw pictures online). I am supposing the razor would be called "Old Type" - though I do not know how long the pat date was used on handles.
ANOTHER TRIUMPH OF AMERICAN INVENTION' Gillette Safety Razor Co., announces the new improved Gillette Safety Razor. Patented Jan. 13. 1920.
Reputation of this Company for square dealings with trade further evidenced by adjustment allowance on certain Old-Type Gillettes.
On May 16th the Gillette Safety Razor Company will announce to t h e consumer public, through a tremendous advertising campaign, the New Improved Gillette Safety Razor, patented United States. January 13, 1920, and with patents granted or pending throughout the world.
In 1914, when the Gillette Company was called on to devote its energies to meeting the shaving needs of the armies and navies of the world, it was given its first opportunity to study at first-hand the shaving habit of men in the mass. A committee then formed to collect and collate the data so obtained found literally hundreds of variations in the way of shaving with the Gillette. Open adjustment, close adjustment, and every shade between the extremes; tight grip, loose grip, grip with the whole hand and grip with the tips of the fingers; grip close up under the head, and grip at the very end of the handle; variation as much as 18 degrees in approaching the razor to the facein short, every variation of beard, skin and temperament reflected in a man's use of his Gillette.
A group of technical experts then started out to perfect the Gillette mechanicallyto make it finer and more accuratean instrument of precision.
Thousands of measurements and calculations had been worked out, when three remarkable discoveries were made. These were the Gillette fulcrum shoulder, overhanging <~a[> and channeled guard. These three discoveries proved to be the crux of the whole problem.
For the first time in any razor, there is micrometric control of blade position.
A shaving edge rigid and straightin perfect contact with the cap through its whole length!
Here is that long sought but never before achieved a shaving edge guarded from the face but free to the beard. All in all. it took some 45,000 calculations, proved out by more than 19.000 actual shaving tests, to make the New Gillette an accomplished fact.
It is now readythe New Improved Gillette Safety Razor.
A radical improvement over the Old-Type Gillette, and the first sharing instrument of precision ever invented. The leading features tire: 1fulcrum shoulder; 2overhanging cap; 3adjustable short flexure; 4channeled guard; 5micrometric precision.
The fulcrum shoulder and overhanging cap provide straight edges acting on the blade to produce an adjustable short flexure, which results in a straight and extremely rigid shaving edge in all positions of adjustment. The channeled guard underlying the adjustable blade edge enables the adjustment to be charged without sensibly altering the angle at which the razor is held in shaving, and also leaves the entire edge free to the beard while guarded from the face.
All parts are made with micrometric precision in strict conformity with measurements determined by Gillette technical experts.
In shaving with the New Improved Gillette the skin lies flat against the tangent of cap and guard. The beard springs upright against the shaving edge. The edge comes automatically against the beard at the very surface of the skin. It cuts square across the haireach hair clipped clean through. Cut hairs and lather go into the channel. They cannot jam in between blade and guard and cap. They cannot clog the shaving action. The razor edge is free every inch of every stroke of the shave.
The New Improved Gillette Safety Razor uses the well-known Standard Gillette blades and greatly increases their effectiveness.
The world famous diamond trade mark of the Gillette Safety Razor Company also occupies a unique place in the designing of the New Improved Razor for the knurling on the handle consists of a series of diamond-shaped designs that form a distinctive and institutional pattern. It incorporates the general shape of the company's trade mark in the actual product and immediately identifies the razor as the New Improved Gillette.
The cases containing the new sets are constructed of the finest material obtainable and in quality of workmanship cannot be surpassed. Eleven distinct styles make up the new line. The New Improved Gillette Safety Razor sets each have a distinguishing name. They are: the "Richwood," with wooden case in dark mahogany finish; "Bostonian," in metal case, with an added innovation that automatically raises a frame in the interior of the case, bringing to view the razor and blade box; "New Standard/' genuine leather covered case; "Big Fellow," in the popular gum wood case, and with the New Improved Gillette; "Aristocrat," is imitation ivory; "Milady Décolleté," the set for ladies, is imitation ivory; "Tuckaway," a compact «et in metal case; the "Chesterfield" has a beautiful engine-turned case and blade box; the "Chippendale" is also an engine turned set; the "Traveler" is a genuine leather case, containing complete shriving kit; the "De Luxe," morocco case, contains a beautiful hand-engraved complete shaving outfit.
All of the above sets, with the exception of the Aristocrat, Milady Decolletee, and De Luxe, contain razor and fittings of either gold or silver plate. These three sets are finished in gold plate only. The new sets are packed in gold colored cartons, similar in appearance to a gold bank note, and immediately identifying the contents as a New Improved Gillette Safety Razor set.
It would be inevitable, of course, that the New Improved Gillette, which will retail ,it $5.00 and up, should retard or even stifle the sale of the old-type Gillette offered at The same price. For this reason, the Gillette Safety Razor Company has adopted a method of adjustment on certain discontinued old-type razors which will permit the dealer to sell the $5.00 razor at $3.50 (others at a similar reduction) and yet at the same time leave the trade approximately the same percentage of profit as at present. Such an adjustment will enable the entire trade to sell at a profit all of those old-type sets in stock which would be in competition with the New Improved Gillette. The Gillette Safety Razor Company assumes the greater proportion of the reduction.
Within the next three months three sets carrying the old-type Gillette will be placed on the market. The cases and fittings of these sets will be less expensive than those now in the hands of the trade. Retail prices of the oldtype sets have been fixed at $3.00, $2.50- and $1.(XXthe first two sets containing six blades, and the last set, three blades.
The $3.00 and $2.50 old-type Gillette sets are packed in the familiar green label cartons. The $1.00 old-type Gillette will be packed in brown label cartons. The Standard Gillette blades, used in both the New Improved and Old-Type sets, will continue to be packed in the well-known green packages.
A campaign in advertising, announcing this triumphant achievement, will appear in the leading newspapers and magazines throughout the United States, and will in magnitude surpass any previous Gillette campaign.
To cooperate directly with the dealer, new display material and dealer aids have been prepared, and the Gillette Safety Razor Company advises that everything possible will be done to enable the retail merchant to tie-up with the national advertising and make the New Improved Gillette one of the quickest turning articles in his stock.
ANOTHER TRIUMPH OF AMERICAN INVENTION' Gillette Safety Razor Co., announces the new improved Gillette Safety Razor. Patented Jan. 13. 1920.
Reputation of this Company for square dealings with trade further evidenced by adjustment allowance on certain Old-Type Gillettes.
On May 16th the Gillette Safety Razor Company will announce to t h e consumer public, through a tremendous advertising campaign, the New Improved Gillette Safety Razor, patented United States. January 13, 1920, and with patents granted or pending throughout the world.
In 1914, when the Gillette Company was called on to devote its energies to meeting the shaving needs of the armies and navies of the world, it was given its first opportunity to study at first-hand the shaving habit of men in the mass. A committee then formed to collect and collate the data so obtained found literally hundreds of variations in the way of shaving with the Gillette. Open adjustment, close adjustment, and every shade between the extremes; tight grip, loose grip, grip with the whole hand and grip with the tips of the fingers; grip close up under the head, and grip at the very end of the handle; variation as much as 18 degrees in approaching the razor to the facein short, every variation of beard, skin and temperament reflected in a man's use of his Gillette.
A group of technical experts then started out to perfect the Gillette mechanicallyto make it finer and more accuratean instrument of precision.
Thousands of measurements and calculations had been worked out, when three remarkable discoveries were made. These were the Gillette fulcrum shoulder, overhanging <~a[> and channeled guard. These three discoveries proved to be the crux of the whole problem.
For the first time in any razor, there is micrometric control of blade position.
A shaving edge rigid and straightin perfect contact with the cap through its whole length!
Here is that long sought but never before achieved a shaving edge guarded from the face but free to the beard. All in all. it took some 45,000 calculations, proved out by more than 19.000 actual shaving tests, to make the New Gillette an accomplished fact.
It is now readythe New Improved Gillette Safety Razor.
A radical improvement over the Old-Type Gillette, and the first sharing instrument of precision ever invented. The leading features tire: 1fulcrum shoulder; 2overhanging cap; 3adjustable short flexure; 4channeled guard; 5micrometric precision.
The fulcrum shoulder and overhanging cap provide straight edges acting on the blade to produce an adjustable short flexure, which results in a straight and extremely rigid shaving edge in all positions of adjustment. The channeled guard underlying the adjustable blade edge enables the adjustment to be charged without sensibly altering the angle at which the razor is held in shaving, and also leaves the entire edge free to the beard while guarded from the face.
All parts are made with micrometric precision in strict conformity with measurements determined by Gillette technical experts.
In shaving with the New Improved Gillette the skin lies flat against the tangent of cap and guard. The beard springs upright against the shaving edge. The edge comes automatically against the beard at the very surface of the skin. It cuts square across the haireach hair clipped clean through. Cut hairs and lather go into the channel. They cannot jam in between blade and guard and cap. They cannot clog the shaving action. The razor edge is free every inch of every stroke of the shave.
The New Improved Gillette Safety Razor uses the well-known Standard Gillette blades and greatly increases their effectiveness.
The world famous diamond trade mark of the Gillette Safety Razor Company also occupies a unique place in the designing of the New Improved Razor for the knurling on the handle consists of a series of diamond-shaped designs that form a distinctive and institutional pattern. It incorporates the general shape of the company's trade mark in the actual product and immediately identifies the razor as the New Improved Gillette.
The cases containing the new sets are constructed of the finest material obtainable and in quality of workmanship cannot be surpassed. Eleven distinct styles make up the new line. The New Improved Gillette Safety Razor sets each have a distinguishing name. They are: the "Richwood," with wooden case in dark mahogany finish; "Bostonian," in metal case, with an added innovation that automatically raises a frame in the interior of the case, bringing to view the razor and blade box; "New Standard/' genuine leather covered case; "Big Fellow," in the popular gum wood case, and with the New Improved Gillette; "Aristocrat," is imitation ivory; "Milady Décolleté," the set for ladies, is imitation ivory; "Tuckaway," a compact «et in metal case; the "Chesterfield" has a beautiful engine-turned case and blade box; the "Chippendale" is also an engine turned set; the "Traveler" is a genuine leather case, containing complete shriving kit; the "De Luxe," morocco case, contains a beautiful hand-engraved complete shaving outfit.
All of the above sets, with the exception of the Aristocrat, Milady Decolletee, and De Luxe, contain razor and fittings of either gold or silver plate. These three sets are finished in gold plate only. The new sets are packed in gold colored cartons, similar in appearance to a gold bank note, and immediately identifying the contents as a New Improved Gillette Safety Razor set.
It would be inevitable, of course, that the New Improved Gillette, which will retail ,it $5.00 and up, should retard or even stifle the sale of the old-type Gillette offered at The same price. For this reason, the Gillette Safety Razor Company has adopted a method of adjustment on certain discontinued old-type razors which will permit the dealer to sell the $5.00 razor at $3.50 (others at a similar reduction) and yet at the same time leave the trade approximately the same percentage of profit as at present. Such an adjustment will enable the entire trade to sell at a profit all of those old-type sets in stock which would be in competition with the New Improved Gillette. The Gillette Safety Razor Company assumes the greater proportion of the reduction.
Within the next three months three sets carrying the old-type Gillette will be placed on the market. The cases and fittings of these sets will be less expensive than those now in the hands of the trade. Retail prices of the oldtype sets have been fixed at $3.00, $2.50- and $1.(XXthe first two sets containing six blades, and the last set, three blades.
The $3.00 and $2.50 old-type Gillette sets are packed in the familiar green label cartons. The $1.00 old-type Gillette will be packed in brown label cartons. The Standard Gillette blades, used in both the New Improved and Old-Type sets, will continue to be packed in the well-known green packages.
A campaign in advertising, announcing this triumphant achievement, will appear in the leading newspapers and magazines throughout the United States, and will in magnitude surpass any previous Gillette campaign.
To cooperate directly with the dealer, new display material and dealer aids have been prepared, and the Gillette Safety Razor Company advises that everything possible will be done to enable the retail merchant to tie-up with the national advertising and make the New Improved Gillette one of the quickest turning articles in his stock.
